Working platform base



Oct- 5 1954 T. 1. HOLLEY 2,690,821

WORKING PLATFORM-BASE Filed Oct. 17, 1949 Inventor Patented Oct. 5, 1954 sTATss PATENT OFFICE WORKING PLATFORM BASE l Thomas I. Holley, Webb City, Mo. Application october' 17, 1949, serial No. 121,708

(ol. isssci 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in drill rigs and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a permanent but removable steel base floor support for the working platform of a drilling rig.

Another very important object of the present invention is to provide a platform base that is quickly and readily applied to or removed from a drill rig in a convenient manner to receive metal or wood flooring.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a platform base that is applied to a drill rig in such a manner as to permit machinery and the like to be skidded across flooring on the base without eifecting damage to the flooring or machinery.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a working platform base for drill rigs that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, small and compact in structure, durable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a plan view of the present invention applied to a drill rig;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the present invention applied to pair of spaced rig beams, and with dotted lines showing the present base prior to its application to the beams;

Figure 3 is a perspective view from the bottom of Figure 2;

Figure Ll is an enlarged group sectional view showing in detail the manner in which the present base is supported on the beams of a drill rig; and,

Figure 5 is a detail view showing the manner in which the complementary cross-members are joined.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral Ill represents a first group of spaced parallel substantially triangular plates, cross-members or supports and the numeral I2 indicates a second group of spaced parallel substantially triangular plates, cross-members or supports.

The members I0 and I2 are similar in shape and construction and each includes a reduced inner end portion I4 and an enlarged outer end portion I 6 having upper and lower parallel edges I8 and 20. The members I are paired up with the members I2 and the inner reduced end portions of the members I0 and I2 are joined by pairs of links or pitmans 22 that are terminally pivoted to the end portions I i of the members I0 and I2 by fasteners 24 and 26 respectively.

The outer end portions I 6 of adjacent members I 0, I2 of each group are joined and spaced by reinforcing and strengthening webs or bars 28 to permit the members I0 and l2 to be handled as a unit during installation or removal.

The upper edges of the members I0 and I2 are secured to cover plates or flooring strips 30 and 32 respectively. The inner edges of the strips 30 and 32 are spaced, as shown in Figure 4, to permit the inner end portions of the members I il and l2 to be raised relative to the outer end portions of the members I0 and I2. Flanges or strip 34 and 35 depend from the inner edges of the cover plates 30 and 32 and are spaced between the links 22 of adjacent members to restrict lateral movement of the members relative to each other.

In practical use of the present invention, the members III and I2 are disposed as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, so that as the inner end portions of the members III and I2 are forced downwardly the outer end portions thereof will enter between the upper and lower flanges 38 and 40 of a pair of spaced parallel I-beams 42 and 44 forming part of a drill rig (Lee C`. Moore Drilling Rig). The upper faces of the plates 30 and 32 are ush with the upper faces of the flanges 38 and the edges I8 and 26 bear against the inner faces of the flanges 38 and 40.

The members I 0 and I 2 are thereby held against downward movement relative to the beams 42 and M.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a drill rig including a pair of spaced parallel horizontal I-beams having upper and lower flanges, a platform detachably secured to and supported solely by said I-beams, said platform comprising a rst group of spaced parallel plate members having outer ends extending between the upper and lower flanges on one beam, abutting substantially all of the web, resting on the lower flange and spaced slightly below the undersurface of the upper ange of said one of said beams, a reinforcing and strengthening bar joining the plate members of said first group, a second group of plate members having outer ends extending between the upper and lower anges of the other beam, abutting substantially all of the web, resting on the lower ilange and spaced slightly below the undersurface of the upper flange of said other beam, a second reinforcing and strengthening bar joining the plate members of the second group, each of said plate members of both groups having inner reduced end portions, hinge means pivotally interconnecting the inner ends of the plate members of one group to the inner ends of the plate members of the other group, a first cover plate overlying and secured to the plate members of the rst group, and va second cover plate overlying and secured to the plate members of the second group, said plates L being flush with each other and the upper flanges of said beams.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said hinge means includes pairs of links terminally pivoted to the inner end portions of said plate members.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 302,102 Chesebro et al July 15, 1884 1,115,775 Bisbach Nov. 3, 1914 1,270,043 Murphy June 18, 1918 1,356,819 Heydecke Oct. 26, 1920 1,401,374 Swonger Dec. 27, 1921 1,415,554 Hatch May 9, 1922 1,455,513 Von Tell May 15, 1923 1,776,565 Morton Sept. 23, 1930 1,914,159 Pfeil June 13, 1933 2,294,993 Lavn Sept. 8, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 372,753 Germany Apr. 3, 1923 241,677 Great Britain Oct. 29, 1925 

